Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Dr. David Frame

I’ve never been much good at working for other people. Especially in a creative field. I could never stand anyone else having control over my projects. So I needed a place where I could have end to end control over my art, business, and life. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so it was an easy leap to wanting to start my own company. Read More>> 

Danielle Recine

Studio Eight started from a simple idea that great design should be carried through all the way to the finish. After a decade of working for others in the industry, seeing how beautiful concepts could get lost in translation during construction, we knew there had to be a better way. Read More>> 

Maia Gabrielle

My main thought process behind starting my own business, was largely trying to figure out how I could become sustainable and adapt to the shift in the work force, as well as workers safety during the main stint of the Covid 19 pandemic. I realized I needed to become self sufficient, and take things into my own control more. Read More>> 

Monique Chavez

Starting Lost Media wasn’t a mapped out plan…it just happened naturally. I’ve always loved storytelling, editing, and finding creative ways to connect with people. During Covid, I pulled away from the fast paced industry and slowed down to rediscover what really inspired me. When I first began helping small businesses with their social media, it clicked. Read More>> 

Kamika Dillard

I’ve started a few businesses over the course of my life, each one born out of both necessity and vision. My first venture was my test prep company: 30 Day Test Prep, which I launched almost 12 years ago. Read More>> 

Christina

The idea for BONDED came from a deep frustration I noticed in modern dating – both in my clients and in myself being single. People weren’t struggling to get matches on dating apps; they were struggling to feel something real and to connect deeply. Most dating apps had turned connection into a game of swipes and short attention spans. Read More>> 

Faith Reed

The Actor Diaries began during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, when everything was on pause and I needed to channel all my restless creative energy somewhere. I’d self-produced a satirical web series called ‘Strike Diaries’ during that time, and the name stayed with me; “The Actor Diaries” felt like a more comprehensive spark of something bigger. Read More>> 

Will Maurer

I started the Children’s Media Research and Reform Lab (CMRRL) from a mix of frustration and hope. When my son was an infant, I began searching for evidence-based media designed for his developmental stage. Instead, I found that the majority of options were being presented to parents using deceptive and false marketing tactics. Read More>> 

Shiwa Aziz

It started from a very personal place. I’ve always loved skincare, but after years of overdoing it with harsh products, I developed rosacea, and that completely changed how I looked at beauty. I realized how many people were damaging their skin chasing quick results, and I wanted to create something different. Clean, gentle, dermatologist-developed skincare that still delivers visible results. Read More>> 

Alphonso Jones

Creating Generational wealth was at the forefront of starting my own business. As the eldest of all my siblings, I always felt the pressure of setting a good example for them. I was the first to graduate college on my maternal and paternal side of my family. This showed me how powerful the steps I took were. Read More>> 

Christina ‘Tina’ Karras

The brand began in a small apartment kitchen in Orange County, where I discovered that baking was more than a hobby. It became a way to honor the small, meaningful moments that bring people together. Read More>> 

Anton Gera

I wanted to build a company where the output is real, measurable, and used by real people — not “demo-day theater.” I’ve always been drawn to systems that have to work in the physical world: transportation, operations, safety, autonomy. Starting Codective was my way of betting on craftsmanship: if we build reliable products and show up consistently, the trust and opportunities follow. Read More>> 

Marlene Chaker

When I started my business, I didn’t have a master plan. The appraisal management industry was still new, and most of us were figuring it out as we went. My “aha” moment came when I realized I kept saying, “There has to be a better way to do this.” I saw gaps in communication, structure, and ethics, and I knew they affected everyone involved. Read More>> 

Ralph Wilson Buado

Monetize my hobbies and passion so that I can work and be entertained at the same time, and equally providing passive income for my autistic son when I am gone. Read More>> 

Maggie Moon Berwick

After living in Venice for six years, I began to notice a clear gap in the Westside beauty market—specifically when it came to brows. Many of my clients were traveling from the Westside to Beverly Hills to see me because there simply weren’t local options offering what I do. While there were brow studios, none focused on a truly niche, natural approach. Read More>> 

Dennis Del Corro

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset. Over the years, I’ve tried small businesses on my own, some with partners, all while maintaining a traditional 9–5. Even as a full-time lab scientist, my mind was constantly exploring new ideas, thinking about systems, talking to people about collaborations, and looking for concepts that could grow into something meaningful. Read More>> 

Jacob aka Shmity Schmidt

I originally stated out as a local musician here in the East Bay Area. I eventually became friend with a man named Rich Barnes, and he invited to out to the radio station in Vallejo that he volunteered at to come and be on his broadcast….I immediately fell in love with the idea of doing my own radio show shortly after. Read More>> 

Attila Korosi

I felt there was an unfilled market for stories that go beyond simple entertainment. Growing up during the war in Yugoslavia, films weren’t just an escape for me — they were a source of strength. I gravitated toward movies that were emotionally charged and made me feel hopeful and empowered during very difficult times.  Read More>>